The present invention relates generally to remote controls and, more particularly to a remote control having a touch pad operable in a plurality of modes.
Operators use remote controls for remotely controlling a variety of devices including home entertainment, computer, and presentation devices. Such home entertainment devices include televisions, video cassette recorders, set top boxes, and stereos. Such computer devices include desktop and laptop computers. Such presentation devices include slide projectors. Operators use remote controls to control basic functions of the devices such as turning the device on and off. Remote controls are often used in conjunction with display screens of the devices to facilitate simple control of the devices. For instance, the display screens may have a cursor which the operator can navigate the cursor on the display screen by manipulating the remote control. Further, the display screens may have a menu of choices and the operator can select a choice in the menu by manipulating the remote control. The display screens may also have graphical user interfaces (GUI) or the like and the operator can enter information into the GUI by manipulating the remote control. Remote controls may also be used to facilitate advanced control of the devices for applications such as electronic commerce, communications, and the like.
Typically, remote controls include a set of buttons which correspond to control functions of a device. Remote controls have been improved such that the buttons may be used to control functions of multiple devices. Touch pads or other position sensing devices have been incorporated into remote controls to provide the operator with greater control functionality. Touch pads sense the position of an object such as the operator""s finger or stylus touching the touch pad and convey the position information to the display screen of the device. In response, an object on the display screen such as a cursor moves in correspondence with the position of the object touching the touch pad.
A problem with typical remote controls having integrated touch pads is that the touch pads are only operable in one mode. It is desired that the touch pads be operable in a plurality of modes depending upon the needs of the operator. For example, there are conflicting purposes for remote controls in a slide show meeting environment. On the one hand, there is the executive presenter who has no time to learn about the sophisticated control capabilities that remote controls offer. The executive presenter simply wants to push a forward button to advance slides, a backwards button to reverse slides, and, perhaps, a laser button to embellish message points. On the other hand, another presenter may need extended remote control functions such as computer mousing, program launching, and menu selection. In short, this presenter needs point, click, and drag functionality as well as the forwards, backwards, and laser functionality of the executive presenter. Currently, two different remote controls are used to address the needs of both presenters.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control having a touch pad operable in a plurality of modes.
In carrying out the above object and other objects, the present invention provides a remote control having a touch pad operable in at least two touch pad modes and a switching mechanism operable with the touch pad for switching the touch pad between the at least two touch pad modes. The at least two touch pad modes may include an absolute touch pad mode, a relative touch pad mode, and an annotate touch pad mode.
The remote control may further include at least one control button operable to switch between at least two control button modes. Each of the at least two control button modes corresponds to a respective touch pad mode. The switching mechanism is operable with the at least one control button for switching the at least one control button to the control button mode corresponding to the touch pad mode.
The remote control may also include an indicator operable for displaying at least two control button indicator modes each indicative of a respective control button mode. The switching mechanism is operable with the indicator for switching the indicator to the control button indicator modes corresponding to the control button mode.
The touch pad may include at least two control icons representative of remote control commands. The at least two control icons are enabled when the touch pad is in a first touch pad mode and disabled when the touch pad is in a second touch pad mode. Two respective control icons may be representative of a forward slide remote control command and a backwards slide remote control command. Other respective control icons may be representative of a channel up remote control command, a channel down remote control command, an audio signal up remote control command, and an audio signal down remote control command.
Further, in carrying out the above object and other objects, the present invention provides a remote control for controlling a device having a display screen. This remote control includes a touch pad operable in at least two touch pad modes. In a first touch pad mode the touch pad is mapped relatively to a display screen of a device such that each location of the touch pad corresponds to a respective location of the display screen. In a second touch pad mode the touch pad is mapped absolutely to the display screen as a function of the dimensions of the touch pad and the display screen such that each location of the touch pad corresponds to a respective object displayed on the display screen. The remote control also includes a switching mechanism operable with the touch pad for switching the touch pad between the at least two touch pad modes.
Also, in carrying out the above object and other objects, the present invention provides a remote control for controlling a slide projector device having a display screen. This remote control includes a touch pad operable in at least two touch pad modes. The touch pad includes two control icons respectively representative of a forward slide remote control command for forwarding a slide displayed on the display screen upon actuation and a backwards slide remote control command for reversing a slide displayed on the display screen. The two control icons are enabled when the touch pad is in a first touch pad mode and disabled when the touch pad is in a second touch pad mode. The remote control further includes a switching mechanism operable with the touch pad for switching the touch pad between the at least two touch pad modes.
This remote control may also include at least one control button operable in at least two control button modes including a pointing mode. Each of the at least two control button modes corresponds to a respective touch pad mode. The at least one control button generates a pointing signal for pointing to the display screen when the touch pad is in the first touch pad mode. The switching mechanism is operable with the at least one control button for switching the at least one control button between the at least two control button modes as a function of the at least two positions of the switching mechanism.
In carrying out the above object and other objects, the present invention also provides a remote control for controlling a device. The remote control includes a touch pad operable in at least two touch pad modes. The touch pad includes at least two control icons respectively representative of device control commands. The at least two control icons are enabled when the touch pad is in a first touch pad mode and disabled when the touch pad is in a second touch pad mode. The remote control also includes a switching mechanism operable with the touch pad for switching the touch pad between the at least two touch pad modes.
The above object and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.